Sunrun, a veteran in the solar industry, is a solid choice if you’re primarily interested in a solar lease.
The company offers two solar leasing plans, which is unique compared to most solar installers’ standard leasing plans. The company also offers worthwhile perks regarding its leasing plans, but its benefits for full purchases and loans are subpar compared to competitors. This can be a problem if you want to own your system.
Our comprehensive review of Sunrun involved closely analyzing the company’s warranties and product specifications, synthesizing its reputation across various review sites, and interviewing residential solar energy experts.
We also compared them with some of the best solar companies and got interesting results.
Our thoughts on Sunrun
Sunrun is a go-to company if you want efficient solar panels generating renewable energy to increase your home’s eco-friendliness. However, it doesn’t provide as many financial benefits or cutting-edge technology options as other installers, such as Elevation or SunPower. Its leasing plans offer more benefits than most other solar leasing plans, which may not include maintenance and a locked price.
Because Sunrun focuses on solar leases, it makes its other payment options look less attractive. The company also features a history of mixed customer reviews, which we explore below. This mixed reputation caused the company to dip to 4.7 out of 5 stars in our scoring methodology, despite it offering quality solar panel, battery and electric vehicle (EV) charger installation.
What we like
Sunrun provides extra protection compared to other companies. It offers a BrightSave insurance policy included in its leasing plans to protect your solar panel system against theft or damage. This insurance plan is a standout feature that we haven’t noticed other providers offer, which lets you receive ample peace of mind with Sunrun when you lease with it.
The company also offers a comprehensive, 25-year system warranty. This robust warranty includes coverage for replacement and repairs, plus 24/7 monitoring. This warranty greatly exceeds industry standards and provides more coverage for your investment than other standard options like a 10-year workmanship warranty.
What we don’t like
Because of its focus on leasing, Sunrun isn’t as cost-effective as other solar installation companies. The company still offers solar loans and full purchase payment options, but there are fewer additional perks with these plans with Sunrun. This dynamic makes Sunrun less appealing if you care to get more financial gain out of a solar panel system, which loans and full purchases permit. A solar lease doesn’t let you use tax incentives or rebates, factors which typically make solar panel systems more cost-effective.
We’re not fans of Sunrun’s mixed reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website. It’s also worth noting that the company experienced a lawsuit in 2020 when it acquired Vivint Solar. The lawsuit revolved around allegedly misleading sales tactics in connection to solar leases and power purchase agreements (PPAs), as well as constant delays to its services. Sunrun settled the lawsuit quickly and responded well to this issue with its CEO, Mary Powell, releasing a statement that outlined action items the company now features, including an increase in vendors and team capacity.
Depending on your goals and location, hiring Sunrun might cause you some headaches, though the company is working hard to address its issues.
Compare top solar brands
Sunrun scores fairly well due to its extensive service selection and top-of-the-line warranty. If you care about security and peace of mind when going solar, Sunrun outperforms many other solar companies.
| Provider | Our Rating | Manufacturer’s Warranty | Workmanship Warranty | Get Started |
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| Provider | Our Rating | Manufacturer’s Warranty | Workmanship Warranty | Get Started |
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Sunrun services
Sunrun provides a great selection of services, including installing solar panels, battery storage and EV chargers. Most solar installers focus only on solar panels and batteries, so if you own an EV, you should consider Sunrun.
The company installs monocrystalline solar panels manufactured by multiple companies. This panel type is the most efficient option available in the market, with an average efficiency rate of 15%–22%. The brand of solar panels you receive may vary depending on your location.
Sunrun engages third-party contractors to complete its solar energy system installations and hires different contractors in each state. This service model is standard for the solar industry, but some providers offer in-house installers. This adds an additional layer of care and security that Sunrun misses.
Solar battery installation
Available to new Sunrun customers, its Brightbox Home Battery allows you to store solar power for later use during power outages and at night. Brightbox can be installed in your garage or outside your home. It offers battery storage in various sizes, adapting to your home’s energy needs. You can also choose between the LG Chem or Tesla Powerwall solar batteries for installations.
Because it offers its own solar battery, Sunrun should be on your radar if you’re interested in a battery backup system. When we interviewed Will White, a solar application specialist at Fluke Corporation, he said, “Customers interested in purchasing a system with batteries, whether for backup power or financial gain, should work with an installer who has training and experience working with battery-based systems.”
Sunrun has experience with solar battery installation and offers its own energy storage system, making it more reliable and enticing than other installers who rely on other manufacturers for solar batteries.
EV charger installation
For EV charger installation, Sunrun offers the Ford F-150 Lightning EV charger. This charger is designed for the Ford F-150 Lightning truck, but it can also be used with any EV charger compatible with the SAE J1772 connector. Additionally, the Ford Connected Charge Station and the Ford Charge Station Pro Connector offer the added benefit of providing backup power to your EV during blackouts.
We like that Sunrun focuses on Ford’s solar battery because most installers default to Tesla’s charger. Though Tesla sets a standard for EV chargers, its customer service team is less reputable. The company overall features a negative reputation, while Ford’s EV charger division appears to care and provide quality support.
Mobile app active monitoring
The company offers proactive system monitoring through its dedicated mySunrun mobile app. You can track energy use, panel performance and historical panel data. The app is available on Android, iOS and through its own website. Overall, Sunrun’s active monitoring aligns with industry-standard practices.
Sunrun’s installation process
Sunrun follows a standard solar panel installation process while providing as much in-house support as possible. The company follows many of the same steps most other solar installation companies follow. Sunrun provides the option for in-home, virtual or phone consultation followed by a detailed proposal process and hands-free permitting approval.
- Consultation: First, Sunrun holds a consultation with you. You can conduct the consultation virtually, over the phone or in person at home. We advise you to opt for the in-home consultation, as it’s the best way to get answers to all your questions and avoid possible oversights and roadblocks. You’ll work with a Sunrun sales representative to determine your solar panel system design, appearance and additional equipment. You’ll also share your savings goals, credit score and average monthly electricity bill so Sunrun can determine your payment options.
- Proposal: At this step, a Sunrun salesperson will follow up with a detailed proposal that includes a custom-designed solar system, your estimated monthly savings and any possible tax incentives added to your quote.
- Design and permitting: Sunrun designs your custom solar energy system and assembles all necessary components upon approval. During this step, Sunrun also handles any necessary permitting and approvals. Depending on your city or county requirements, this step may take one to three weeks. You’ll receive phone calls from Sunrun with any updates during this time.
- Installation: Once your system receives all proper permits and approvals, Sunrun claims it will install your solar panels within five days of receiving confirmation from your city or county. The installation typically takes only one day, but larger and more complex systems may take two.
- Final inspection and activation: As one last step, your local utility company must conduct one last inspection before Sunrun can activate your system. Once complete, your utility company will provide permission to operate, and your solar panel system will start to generate clean energy.
Warranties
Sunrun offers different warranty options based on the payment method. A full purchase or solar loan comes with a 10-year warranty for product and workmanship. This warranty covers any issues arising from a faulty installation, including roof leaks. The warranty duration is in line with industry standards, and Sunrun also provides additional roof leak coverage, which is a significant benefit.
Sunrun offers a 25-year system warranty if you lease your system. This warranty includes free replacement, repairs and 24/7 monitoring. It also covers panel theft and damage, which is an added insurance benefit under the Protection Plus coverage included in the leasing contract. Purchasing a system will require you to add this service package to receive the same coverage. Although Sunrun offers this service in some markets, its website doesn’t disclose the associated costs.
You’re at a disadvantage if you opt for a full purchase or solar loan with Sunrun. Our research has shown that other providers offer better warranties for cash and loan customers that don’t require additional costs. Therefore, it’s important to consider this aspect when deciding to purchase a system from Sunrun.
Pricing and quotes
Sunrun’s pricing appears to be rather competitive. We obtained cost information from nine previous Sunrun customers across the U.S. from a survey we ran in October 2023 for 1,000 solar customers. We discovered that the average cost for a Sunrun system landed at $11,800. When you compare this to recent reports from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory stating the average cost for a 6-kilowatt system would be $18,960, you save significantly with Sunrun.
Choosing a full purchase or loan with Sunrun provides an opportunity to save more through the federal solar investment tax credit (ITC). This credit is a U.S. government incentive offered by the Department of Energy and IRS for solar energy systems. It allows solar system owners to deduct a percentage of their qualified solar expenses from federal income taxes. The ITC covered 26% of the system’s cost for installations starting between 2020 and 2022, with a potential decrease in the future.
We also recommend you check with the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency to see what local or state-level solar incentives might be available to you.
Sunrun offers all the traditional payment methods for home solar panel installation. However, it offers a unique leasing option where you can lock the electricity rate for 25 years.
- Full purchase: If you’re concerned about getting the most financial benefit from your solar panel system, you should purchase the system in full from Sunrun. This payment method will feature the highest upfront cost, as you buy the entire system outright, but you’ll receive access to any solar tax incentives. Additionally, a full payment lets you receive the quickest possible payback period, which is when your solar panels start to pay for themselves.
- Solar loan: If you’re planning to purchase a system through a third-party loan, Sunrun can be a viable option. It’s worth noting that Sunrun’s warranty and maintenance services aren’t included when you own the system, unlike its leasing options. However, you can purchase its Protection Plus plan to receive these services.
- Full amount lease: This lease is a unique offering exclusive to Sunrun. You still pay a large amount upfront, which is your current electricity rate for 25 years, and lock in that amount for that time frame. Sunrun maintains ownership of the system, so you can’t access solar incentives. You also receive the company’s more comprehensive warranty. This payment method operates similarly to a power purchase agreement (PPA) with other providers, but Sunrun takes more control over the agreement than other companies do.
- Monthly lease: Sunrun offers another leasing agreement option, which is a monthly lease based on solar panel usage. This option requires minimal upfront costs, as Sunrun owns the system, and you can make monthly payments to the company. Sunrun provides a 25-year warranty along with full system monitoring and maintenance. Sunrun says this is the most popular option but may not result in the highest financial savings.
Most of the homeowners we surveyed that use Sunrun opted for either a full purchase or loan. The ones that opted for a lease stated they mainly cared about just getting lower electricity rates.
These decisions aligned with some excellent advice we received from JD Dillon, chief marketing officer at Tigo Energy. He shared that PPAs and leases can seem attractive because you have less to deal with and get a no-money down option.
However, he went on to share that the long-term benefits of these options are less desirable for many homeowners. Namely, it can make selling your home more of a challenge. “When you go to sell your house, the person buying it is going to have to qualify for a loan for you and to pay the bills on the roof. And realtors who know that, avoid it,” Dillon said.
We recommend you closely weigh your financial goals to determine what plan is best for you.
Customer thoughts
Sunrun’s headquarters features an A+ rating and accreditation with the BBB and holds a 3.71 out of 5-star customer rating on the site. This is a fairly impressive customer rating for a solar provider. Most solar installers sit around a 3-star rating or less given that many customers don’t think to post a review unless something goes wrong with the system or installation.
Many positive reviews mention Sunrun’s helpful customer service representatives and solar experts. They say how responsive and helpful the company is with questions and concerns. For example, Emily V’s review mentions technicians showing up early and answering any queries in a friendly manner, including for solar battery installation. She also says Sunrun helped her reduce her energy bills by a third.
More critical reviews mention Sunrun’s struggles with roofing projects and transferring contracts between homeowners. Namely, we noticed multiple reviews where customers had to repair their roofs, and Sunrun reinstalling the solar panels became a hassle or was completed incorrectly.
Sunrun responded to 100% of the reviews we analyzed, both positive and negative. We find that Sunrun is highly communicative even when issues occur. Our research showed a fairly mixed experience with whether or not a company responded to reviews, and it’s incredibly rare that a brand responds to 100% of its reviews.
Final take: Sunrun is the choice solar installer for leasing but not for ownership
Sunrun is a good option if you’re interested in leasing rather than owning a system. The company’s leasing options include more benefits, support and protection than its full purchase and loan options. That said, you’ll receive less financial incentives with a solar lease. You can’t use solar incentives, your property value won’t increase and you can’t enroll in net metering programs to cut costs further or even profit from your solar panels.
If you’re not interested in outside financial perks, Sunrun’s leasing options are impressive, with included maintenance and monitoring and a robust 25-year system warranty. If you fall into this camp, we recommend you get a quote with Sunrun to start the consultation process. We also recommend getting at least three quotes from local solar installers to determine which provider best matches all your wants and needs.
Our rating methodology for solar companies
We rate and compare solar installers using our in-depth methodology. Installers are scored out of 100, and we then divide the final score by 20 to get the 5-star rating we include in our reviews.
We evaluate solar installers on a variety of key factors, including their customer service, breadth of services, consultation process, website experience, panel quality, payment options, financing availability and warranty coverage.
BBB information is accurate as of June 2024.
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Editorial note: The name “Homefront” refers to the alliance between USA TODAY and Home Solutions that publishes review, comparison, and informational articles designed to help USA TODAY readers make smarter purchasing and investment decisions about their home. Under the alliance, Homefront provides and publishes research and articles about home service and home improvement topics.
Homefront has an affiliate disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Homefront editorial staff alone (see About Homefront). Homefront adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is believed to be accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
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